Igniter for internal-combustion engines.



W. F. CLARK.

IGNITER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I914. RENEWED AUG.10,I917- 1,268,322. Patented June 4,1918.

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L By 7 flzgz'mJ/uk/cb ATTORNEY STATES PATENT o FicE.

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Specification 01' Letters Patent.

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Patented June 4, 191s.

Ap'plication fled February 8, 1914, Serial 110. 817,585. Renewed August 10, 1917. Serial 170. 185,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatL'Wnmn'rr F. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Phoenix, in the county of Maricopa and Stateof Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters for- Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My-invention relates to devices for ignitin inflammable substances, such as the gases lltlllZed in-the operation of internal combustion engines; and the primary object'- thereof' is to provide-an igniter having a suitable valve-controlled passage leading to the inside of the engine to admita cleaning mediumpr a motive agent in the shape of a priming material or part of a fuel charge.

A further and quiteiimportant object of my invention-is to rovide an igmter in w ich the passage 'a ranged to enable thev valve' 'ther ein to be closed by avity as well-as by the compression of t efuel;" whereb the closing of valve, except when the va ve is required to be open, will be insured.

Another object of my invention is to rovide an igniter of the electrical type in w ich at leastone electrode can easily be adjusted;

and at the same time suitably packed a inst leakage; in order to regulate the spari and clean the spark points when necessary.

My invention is fully illustrated on the accom an 'ng drawings, the same characters'o re erence bein employed to indicate the same partson a the views. On said Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of my igniter; Fig} 2 is an end shown in Fig. 1; certain "elements being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a section of a band inclosing a gassage having a valve and adapted to conuct to an opening or passage leading to the inside of the igmter;

Fig. 4 is a section of a modified form of band inclosin such a passage;

Figs. 5 an 6 are sectional. views of details; and v Fig. 7 is a fication of my igniter with-' the bend inclosing a passage omitted; y

My ignite'r orspark plug is of the jump ve mentioned is 'arelevation of the parts longitudinal sec tion of a modispark or high tension va riety and it comand a nut or land 8 engages the threads 5 and one end 0 the collar to secure the insulator in the casing 1. These elements are well known and form no part of myinventi'on. 1

The inner-portion of the bore in the easing 1 receives" a tubular. or thimble-shaped electrode 9 having a flange 10 to engage the shoulder 4. Normally the collar 7 on the insulator is forced by the'nut or gland 8 against the flange 10 to hold it against the shoulder 4 and secure these arts in ti ht position. The inner end of t e electro e9 is contracted and terminates in an opening 11,

at the inner end of the vshell .1.

A central longitudinal bore is also pro- .vided in the insulator 6; and this bore re- 'eeives an electrode stem 12, slidably. and r0- tatably mounted therein and branched at its flange or shoulder on the sleeve and is received by a cap 15 through which the stem- 12 passes. Between the cap andthe end of the sleeve is a washer 16, and the collar 14 maybe extended slightly beyond the end of the sleeve to receive this washer, or it may terminate flush'with the sleeve, so that the washer can be placed over the end of the sleeve and the collar 14 also. At its outer endthe passage through the sleeve 6 is counterbored as indicated, at 6, and this counterbored end provides a space for packing shown at112 The function of the washer is to hold the packing in place and the stem12 can slide through both the packing.

washer and the I passage through the'cap 15 r the stem is also counterbored at the end adjacent to the washerwhen the ca is in place,

and counterbored end en'ab esthe cap to the cap is a nut 17, threaded thereon, and

the stem terminates in a flattened or wedgeshaped end 18. This end can be engaged to enable the stem 12 tobe turned bya cap 18' having a bore extending into the same from one end and having aflange atthe other end 15 to enable it to be embedded in an insulator disk 18. This disk eliminates the danger.

of the operator getting a shock when the stem 12 is adjusted. The bore in the cap 18 v has its inner end shaped to engage the flat end 18 of the stem snugly, so that when the cap 18 is placed on the stem it can be turned by hand to rotate the stem. The nut 17 is to'hold a-conductor between the same and the vcap 15, and it further serves to lock the stem 12in position. (lap 15 fits tightly on the end of the sleeve around the flange 14,'and the disk 18 and cap 18 may remain permanently on the stem 12. To clean the gap, or to adjust the length thereof,the-disk 18 fis held by hand, and the nut 17 loosened. The disk'18 is then turned to rotate thestem till the points 13 touch the thimble 9. This breaks up any soot or oil and clears the spark points so that they .35 can'be used further. Thedisk'18 is then turned the other way so as to separate the spark points 13 from the thimble, thus reestablishing the gap. By making the threads on the stem 12 of convenientp-itch,

' 4.0 as sixteen to the inch, the amount of separation of the points 13 from thethimble 9 I can be determined for each rotation of the disk. As different types of engines require dili'erent spark gaps, this method of deter- .4, 5 nnning the spark gap is very important and.

ena les the operator to meet the requirements of engines of various makes, even while running; that is, he does not haveto stop the engine to adjust the gap at all.

The washer 16 prevents the packing 12 from getting into the'threads on the stem 12. U The elements thus far described are common to.-all forms of my invention; but in the form illustrated in Figs; 1, 2 and 3 I provide the casing '1 with an external-cire' cumferential groove v19 having four elonleading into the casing e groove is between the collar. 2 and gated openings 19 1. Th I the shoulder- 4, and this section of the casmg 1 is preferably conical. Around this section'fits snuglya band 20 inclqsing a-p-assage 21 having a port 22 leading to groove. 19. The one end 23 is adapted "to make joint with a conduit leading thereto; and the other end is, elosed by*a nut 24:. The

' and the seat 25 lowermost.

.1, 2 and 3 by securing it to the side of port 22 is between the nut 24 and a seat 25 in the passage 21, and this passage is controlled by a ball-valve 26 which engages the seat 25, this seat being located beyond the valve 26 passing from the port 22 toward the end 23. When the igniter is in horizontal position, as in the side of a gasengine, the band 20 will be so placed that the end 23 of the passage 21 will be uppermost,

The passage 21 will extend down to the seat and then up to the port 22. Hence, except when the valve is forced open to allow substances \to pass into the igniter, the valve 26 can be moved by gravity to close the passage; Obviously another valve having a different shape'may be employed if desired. The casing 1 is exteriorly screw-threaded at 27 to receive a nut 28 to hold the band in place. The tube 9 has four holes 19" to register with the holes 19'.

I .make use of my igniter shown in Figs. an engine, so that it will be horizontal, as above stated. The port 22 will register with groove 19, and I provide four openings 19 and 19", so that they willall register more or less in any position of casing l and thimble 9. When the plug is on the engine, the

passage 21 must extend upward, and seat 25 I be lowermost. ,The end 23 is connected to the carbureter, manifold pipe, or other source of fuel supply, and some fuel is led into the gas engine by way of the igniter. The passage can also receive a priming agent, or an agent such as kerosene to clean the electrodes; and for this purpose suitable connections are provided. Such connections are not here shown or described;

but are fully set forth in my copending application for a patent on a spark plug system with which my igniter is adapted to be used.-- j

For an igniter which is to be vertically mounted when in use, as in the head of a gas engine cylinder, I employ a modified -form of ring shown at 20 on Fig. 45. This ring is a conical frustum having its larger end as the-lower end; and it has a .passage formed. within a radial boss or projection 29, which extends outward from the axis of the igniter. This boss has a passage corresponding to the passage 21 and having asloping bottom 30 leading from the port 22 to the seat 25..- In this fomn the valve is also free to close by gravity; and the outer end of'the boss is connected'to a carb-ureter or manifold the same as the passage 21. A

stop 31 may be placed between valve 26 and" the opening 22.

. In case I desire'or find it necessary to dis pense with the band 20 or 20, and the feeding of the fuel or cleaning agent to,.the' igniter, I utilize the form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 7. This modification is cellent resultsin'practice with the various forms of igniters herein set forth. The use of the forms allowing the admission of part of the fuel or the cleaning agent enables me to secure a rich fuel mixture adjacent the spark points inside the engine; and thus the liability of a misfire is greatly lessened and may be practically obviated: At the same time I can make the starting easier by priming the engine through the igniter; or,-

should the spark points ever become fouled,

they can be easily cleaned by runnin kero- 'sene intothe casing '1. As soon as t e substance to be forced into the casin 1 has passed the valve 26 the latter can actuated by gravit to enga e its seat 25, and the passa e is t erefore c osed at once. Any likeliho of leakage when the compression stroke of the piston begins is entirely eliminated. By providing four elongated holes 19 in the casing 1 and four similarly placed holes 19 in. the thimble 9 I insure having these holes in registry more or less for any relative position of the casing and thimble as abovestated. This result I obtain by making each 'of the openings inthe casing and thimble a' little over one-eighth of the circumference. The motive agent or cleaning agent thus enters the igniter at'four different points and the operation'is so much i more efiicient for that reason. The passage in the band, thelgroove' 19 and the openings 19' and 19 of course constitute a continuous 'passage- Itis to be understood of course that only part of'the fuel charge of the engine passes through the passage 21, the main portion of the charge passing through the inlet valves in'the usu way. I The passage of part of the charge through the igniter makes-it selfa cleaning under ordinary circumstances; and

if gthe spark points should ever become fouled, a little kerosene will suflice to clear them ofany foreign substances. Kerosene may also be admitted to the 1 cylinder through the ,igniter" -.to clean the valves, pisto make it octagonal, .though it is shown as tonri s, and other parts. I It .wi 1 be understood that the nut 28 may have any desired polygonal shape. I prefer a hexagon. The same may said'of the vother polygonal parts of my'i The plug shown in Fig. gn polygonalsection 32 adjacent the collar 2 ord'awrench hold. In the other form iter. may have afirst form of my plug has the advanta e of A being self cleaning and the other a vant es above noted.

he nut on the stem 12 serves not only to bind'the conductor in place, so that-any kind of conductor may be used but it also serves to hold the stem in adjusted position. This nut when screwed up will secure the stem with its inner branched end drawn back as far as maybe required in the bore in the sleeve 6, but with the points 13-protruding to within easy sparking distance of',-the thimble or bushing 9. -The stem can be moved to scrape off the points 1.3, and" turned as above stated to move the points 13 opposite fresh sparking surfaces in the" thimblei).

I Wish to call attention to\the fact that the thimble 9 isheld in the casing 1 by the collar on the sleeve 6- and the'same nut 8 secures both the thimble and the sleeve in place. To remove thethimble the sleeve is taken out first, and then the thimble 9 can be readily removed also. This'thimble is easy and cheap to make, and only the ciated with it applied to another porcelain I sleeveto make the plug ready for further use.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new v tect by Letters Patent of the United States 1s:- a

1. An igniter comprising an insulator having a bore, an adjustably mounted conductor in said bore, and a cap receiving one end of the insulator, the adjacent end of the d desire to secure and pro' bore-being enlarged to receive packing to be compressed against the inside ofethe cap.

2'. An igniter comprising a casing having an opening or passage to admit'a cleaning 1 or a motive agent, a band surrounding the casingand inclosing a passage communicating at its inner end with the'opening, and'a valve in the, passage in the band, the said passage extending downward adjacent the opening when the igniter is mounted, and

having a seat beyond the valve, yvhereby the valve caiibe' actuated'by gravity to close the L passage. N 3. An ig'nite'r comprisi a'casing hav' J a plurality of openings le ing thcrethroug from the. outside to the inslde thereof, a

,g'roove on the outside of the casing commu- I nicating with said openings and means enga 'ng the; casing .and covering the an having an opening or passage eading to the groove.

oove,

A 11=igniter?{coinprising a casin g and a tubular electrode inside the casing, the casing and the electrode each having a plurality of openings therethrough, said openings being of such angular extent that the openings in the electrode will register with vthe openings in the casing for any relative position of the'electrode and easing.

5. An igniter comprising a casing and a tubular electrode inside the casing, the caslng and the electrode each having a plurality of openings leading to the inside of the same and located at diflerent points around the electrode and casing, said openings being of such angular extent that the openings of the electrode Will -register with the openings inthe casing for any relative position of the casing and the electrode.

6. In an igniter, a casing and a removable tubular electrode therein having a contracted opening at one end and an external flange at the other end, and being provided with a plurality of openings located at different points around the same, between the flange and the opening 7 An igniter comprising a casing having an insulator sleeve therein, said sleeve having a longitudinal bore, an. electrode stem adjustably received in said bore, said stem extending beyond the outer end of the sleeve and having. its outer end threaded, the outer end of the bore being enlarged, packing t e said enlargekend, a Washer coverin packing to hold said packing in said en and prevent the same from engaging the threaded end of the stem, and a cap, havinga bore to receive the stem receiving the outer end i of the sleeve to secure the washer in place.

8. An igniter comprising a casing having a pair of spark terminals and an exterior conical section provided with a groove therein, the casing havin openings connecting the groove with the inside, of the casing, a band having an interior conical surface 'encircling said section, said band having a passage leadin to said groove, and means engaging said and and said casing'to force said band to fit tightly upon said casing.

9. An igniter comprising a casing having 7 an insulator sleeve therein, said sleeve having a longitudinal bore, an electrode stem received in the bore, said stem being arranged to project from the sleeve at its inner end to provide a spark terminal, the

outer portion of the stem also protruding from the sleeve, saidouter portion being threaded and terminating in a flattened extremity, an internally threaded cap on the outer end of the sleeve engaging the threaded portion, and an insulator cap to receive the said extremity, whereby the stem, can be' adjusted in the sleeve.

Signed at Louisville, in the county of J efferson and State of Kentucky.

WILLETT I i CLARK,

Witnesses:

RAY UNDERwooD, J. W. REAVLEY. 

